With the aim of relating weather parameters with maize yield and insect population, a study
was carried-out at National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur taking into account
the weather data from 1981 to 2012, maize yields and insect population in Chitwan. An
analysis of maximum temperature data revealed that average rise in temperature for the
period of 1981 to 2012 was 0.03°C to O.l3°C per annum. During the same period April and
the January were found to be the hottest and coldest months respectively. Regarding the
maize growing season, mean of the weeks revealed that maize stem borer, Chilo partellus
(Swinhoe ). damage was comparatively less (22.5%) at 21.1 °C during winter seeded maize
·plants than spring seeded (47.08% at 28.78°C) and rainy season seeded (47.03% at 29.2°C).
Outbreak of Tassel beetle, Chiloloba acuta (Wiedemann) observed in the last 3 years
might also be due to the effect of temperature. The precipitation pattern was erratic and
fluctuating and the maximum total rainfall was recorded in the year 1998 and the lowest in
2005. Monthly distribution of rainfall plummeted up during the month of July and sharply
decreased upto October then steady in trend. During the last 5 years, the total amount of
rainfall for the pre-monsoon period was recorded higher compared to the previous year's
data. Despite the increasing trends of maize yield in Chitwan, area is almost static.
Interestingly, during the year 2005 Chitwan received the lowest rainfall and that might have
affected the poorest total maize production.

With the aim of relating weather parameters with maize yield and insect population, a study
was carried-out at National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur taking into account
the weather data from 1981 to 2012, maize yields and insect population in Chitwan. An
analysis of maximum temperature data revealed that average rise in temperature for the
period of 1981 to 2012 was 0.03°C to O.l3°C per annum. During the same period April and
the January were found to be the hottest and coldest months respectively. Regarding the
maize growing season, mean of the weeks revealed that maize stem borer, Chilo partellus
(Swinhoe ). damage was comparatively less (22.5%) at 21.1 °C during winter seeded maize
·plants than spring seeded (47.08% at 28.78°C) and rainy season seeded (47.03% at 29.2°C).
Outbreak of Tassel beetle, Chiloloba acuta (Wiedemann) observed in the last 3 years
might also be due to the effect of temperature. The precipitation pattern was erratic and
fluctuating and the maximum total rainfall was recorded in the year 1998 and the lowest in
2005. Monthly distribution of rainfall plummeted up during the month of July and sharply
decreased upto October then steady in trend. During the last 5 years, the total amount of
rainfall for the pre-monsoon period was recorded higher compared to the previous year's
data. Despite the increasing trends of maize yield in Chitwan, area is almost static.
Interestingly, during the year 2005 Chitwan received the lowest rainfall and that might have
affected the poorest total maize production.